The invention relates to electrical connections, and more particularly to methods and devices for forming electrical connections on automobiles.
Automotive electrical systems include numerous electrical connections formed with various electronic modules and/or sensors on the automobile. One example of such an electrical connection is the connection formed between an exhaust gas oxygen sensor and the engine control unit (ECU). Exhaust gas oxygen sensors are mounted in the exhaust system and measure the oxygen content in the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. The electronic signal generated by the oxygen sensor is interpreted by the ECU to vary the air/fuel ratio of the mixture supplied to the engine.
Factory-installed oxygen sensors are electrically connected to the ECU using some form of a connector. Wire leads extending from the oxygen sensor terminate in a sensor-end connector, which can be male or female. The sensor-end connector is connected to a mating vehicle-end connector that is wired to the ECU. The two mating halves of the connector are usually made of plastic and provide a suitable watertight mechanical and electrical connection.
Each automobile manufacturer specifies a unique set of mating connectors to mate the oxygen sensor to the vehicle harness. Suppliers of the factory-installed oxygen sensors must provide oxygen sensor assemblies with this manufacturer-specified connector. While this compatibility requirement is to be expected when supplying original oxygen sensors to the vehicle manufacturers, it creates complexity when competing in the aftermarket (i.e., supplying replacement oxygen sensors).
Small repair shops and retail part suppliers typically do not have the inventory capacity to stock replacement oxygen sensor assemblies for every make and model of vehicle. If the required oxygen sensor assembly is not in stock, the replacement sensor assembly must be obtained from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM""s), who will also not likely have the sensor in stock, and will need to order the sensor from their distribution center.
The present invention removes the need for the OEM""s to supply the aftermarket. By facilitating a suitable mode of connection between a replacement oxygen sensor and the OEM connector, market complexity is greatly reduced. This reduced complexity benefits the consumer. The invention provides a replacement oxygen sensor that can be spliced to the existing oxygen sensor wiring harness irrespective of the design of the OEM connector.
Commonly used splicing techniques are also problematic. The original electrical and mechanical connection provided by the connector offers a reliable, watertight connection that can withstand the harsh environment of the under-carriage and under-hood of a vehicle. The new splice must also be well protected. Heat shrink tubing may not provide the long-term robustness required to prevent unwanted intrusions into the oxygen sensor.
The present invention addresses the compatibility issues associated with aftermarket oxygen sensor installation, and the resulting inadequacy of commonly used splicing techniques by providing a weather-resistant housing assembly for protecting a spliced electrical connection. The housing assembly includes a base having a plurality of individually isolated bores extending therethrough. Each bore is capable of housing a portion of the spliced connection and each bore has therein at least one seal ring to form a substantially water-tight seal around a portion of the spliced connection. The housing assembly also includes a cap secured to the base. The cap preferably includes a plurality of lead exit apertures. Each lead exit aperture corresponds to one of the respective bores.
In one aspect of the invention, the base has four sides and each of the four sides includes a projection. The cap also has four sides and two of the four sides of the cap include a resilient locking tab configured to engage one of the projections on the base. The cap can be secured to the base such that any one of the locking tabs engages any one of the projections. Preferably, the cap further includes a slot in each of the two sides that do not include the resilient locking tab. The slots receive the projections not engaged by the resilient locking tabs.
The invention also provides a universal aftermarket oxygen sensor replacement kit. The kit includes a replacement electrical device, a plurality of lead wires extending from the replacement electrical device, and a housing assembly for protecting a spliced connection formed with the vehicle lead wires and the replacement electrical device lead wires to create an electrical connection between the replacement electrical device and the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, the replacement electrical device is an oxygen sensor.
The housing assembly includes a base having a plurality of individually isolated bores extending therethrough. Each bore is capable of housing a spliced connection of a respective vehicle lead wire and a respective replacement electrical device lead wire. The housing assembly also includes a plurality of seal rings. At least one seal ring is receivable in each bore to form a substantially water-tight seal around a portion of the spliced connection. The housing assembly further includes a cap that can be secured to the base.
The invention also provides a method of replacing an electronic device assembly on a vehicle. The electronic device assembly includes an electronic device, a device-end connector connected to a vehicle wire harness at a vehicle-end connector, and a plurality of lead wires extending between the electronic device and the device-end connector.
The method includes cutting the plurality of lead wires between the device-end connector and the electronic device, sliding a first portion of a splice housing onto the cut plurality of lead wires toward the device-end connector, providing a replacement electronic device having a plurality of replacement lead wires extending from the replacement electronic device, sliding a second portion of the splice housing onto the replacement lead wires toward the replacement electronic device, splicing the cut plurality of lead wires to the respective replacement lead wires, and sliding the first and second portions of the splice housing together over the spliced lead wires to connect the first and second portions of the splice housing and to substantially enclose the spliced lead wires.
In one aspect of the invention, splicing the cut plurality of lead wires to the respective replacement lead wires includes using splice connectors. In another aspect of the invention, sliding the first and second portions of the splice housing together includes isolating the respective spliced lead wires from one another in individually isolated bores extending through one of the first and the second portions of the splice housing.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings.